In case you wanted the long history of why and how I started, here you go...

Stumbling into a fascinating new world

A few years ago I was (and still am) obsessed with judo.  I could go on and on about how cool "The Gentle Way" is and what it has meant to me.  In fact, a few years ago I did.  Anyone who showed any interest, made eye-contact, or just walked by would find themselves sucked into the vortex that was my conversation about judo.

I finally realized, as I am somewhat aware, that those who are less inclined to want to throw or be thrown by another human being were not enjoying the conversation as much as I was.  I had to find another outlet for my passion. 

I decided to try my hand at painting.  I don't have a long history with painting.  When I was in college in the early '90s I tried it out.  My dad tutored me and I found that I had some talent for it, but beyond that first one I didn't really pursue it.  Life happened and painting went on the back burner for over 20 years.

So I did a painting of (you guessed it) a judo throw.  Left Handed Uchimata to be specific.  I loved it so I tried other things I cared about.  A boxing glove, backpacking equipment, my kids, my wife, fishing, and so on.  I found that by painting things I was passionate about, my paintings would never be boring to me.  It's not just an exercise in technical ability, but an expression of a feeling or a thought.  And I know this sounds kind of artsy-fartsy and I had heard it said before, but now I was experiencing it for myself.  

As I was painting more and more, it gave me and my dad a new shared interest.  My dad is not a professional painter or teacher, but he had a talent for painting when he was younger and is the best natural teacher I know.  With digital photography making it so easy to share my progress long distance (we live about 2.5 hours apart) my dad was able to see what I was doing and provide valuable tips and suggestions while I was painting.  My skill grew because of it and it was also a nice way to get to spend time with my dad.

Birth of the Rooster Caster
One day I was looking at my very first electric guitar hanging on the wall.  I had gotten it for Christmas in 1986 my sophomore year in high-school when most of my thoughts were occupied by Van Halen and girls.  The guitar is a Kramer Striker - a popular guitar style for that time.  Bright red color, pointed "banana" headstock, humbucker pickup in the bridge.  

My Kramer had been hanging on the wall for awhile.  It was one that I didn't play very often as I had some newer guitars with better hardware and pickups.  For whatever reason I decided I was going to take it apart, custom hand-paint the body, and upgrade all the hardware so that it was once again a desirable, striking looking instrument. 

It took me a little while to decide what to paint on it.  I wanted to keep the headstock the same bright candy apple red color.  I finally decided on a rooster.  First because I knew I could put some bright red coloring on the bird to match the headstock.  Then I realized how appropriate it was for that particular guitar.  Being an 80's style guitar, I felt a rooster matched up perfectly with the rock scene of that time.  Roosters are colorful.  They can be dangerous and aggressive.  They are proud, they strut, they are loud.  They are also a little bit goofy.  What better animal to represent that era of music.

I painted it.  It took me forever because I didn't have a process.  Clear coating and sanding is not fun.  But when it was done I had an instrument that someone would want to play (upgraded hardware) and one that looked cool hanging on the wall.  I started getting compliments on it any time I took it somewhere.  A few chance meetings with some real musicians and I had some customers.  I'll take on any subject, but roosters are still one of my favorite things to paint. 

Because of my affinity for painting these birds I decided on the name Rooster Caster.  Most guitarists know that the word "caster" (taken from Fender guitar models Stratocaster and Telecaster) is often tacked onto the end of a word to indicate a style of guitar.  Most commonly the word "parts-caster" is used to describe a guitar that has been assembled by putting together different components from other guitars or separately purchased parts.  Since I was putting roosters on everything, the name Rooster Caster only made sense.

I've done quite a few now and have really refined the process.  I've started making guitar bodies out of wood blanks.  And now I have some plans in the works to really start from scratch by actually milling some logs and taking it all the way to the finished product.

So, when I first thought of doing a judo painting about 7 years ago I never imagined that it would lead to a whole new world where I'm literally making guitar bodies from logs and custom painting them for customers.  It has been a dream come true that I didn't even know I had.  Still love judo (and jiu-jitsu), and boxing, and backpacking, and fishing, and guitar playing...  But now I love painting pictures of them all just as much.  I really stumbled into something great that gives me tremendous pleasure and would love to share it with you.